Mastwell



3,505,967 MASTWELL Herbert E. Peterson, 815 W. Northeast Shore Drive,McHenry, Ill. 60050 Filed Nov. 18, 1968, Ser. No. 776,491 Int. Cl. B63b15/00 US. Cl. 11490 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A mastwell thatwill accommodate a plurality of masts of different cross-sectionalconfiguration. The mastwell is tubular, has a flange at the upper endand is received within the deckwell.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Prior to this invention there were a greatvariety of sailing vessels rigged with masts and sails of a givennoninterchangeable type. As a result of the many classes of sailingcraft to satisfy the varying tastes of the sailing public, it has beenexceedingly diflicult for sailing boat agencies to stock all of thevarieties of sails and masts to satisfy the requirements of the public.The different embodiments of mast sails have not, prior to thisinvention, been readily adaptable to a given sailing vessel. Normally,the vessel was equipped to receive a specific type of rigging at thetime of manufacture and thereafter the sails and mast had to conformwith the original manufacturing specifications.

THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to the mastwell thatenables an owner of a sailing vessel to change mast and sailing gearappendant thereto without making substantial changes in the deckstructure of the sailing vessel. 9

Briefly described, the present invention is a mastwell adapted toreceive masts of varying cross-sectional configuration, comprised of asocket having superposed tubular members therein of varyingcross-sectional configuration. The socket is adapted to snugly receive aplurality of mast configurations without altering the deck structurewhile retaining the snugness of fit between the mast and the decksocket. The invention will be more clearly understood in view of thedescription set forth herein below in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a sailing craft on which the presentinvention is normally installed;

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of a mastwell illustrativeof the features of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the mastwell shown inFIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of a circular type mast that may beused with this invention; and 1 FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view ofthe second elliptical type mast that may be utilized with thisinvention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, FIG- URE 1 shows asailboat 20 with a hull 22 provided with a mast 12 extending upwardlytherefrom. The mast 12 is fitted in a mastwell 14 in hull 22 shown indetail in FIGURES 2 and 3.

United States Patent 0 3 505,967 Patented Apr. 14, 1970 See The mastwell14 is comprised of an outer peripheral flange 16 horizontally flush withthe hull 22 of sailboat 20 and an inner tubular member 17 more clearlyshown in FIGURE 3. The tubular member 17 has at least two superposedcross-sectional configurations 18 and 18. The inner peripheral tubularportion 17 as shown in FIG- URES 2 and 3 is constructed as two separatesegments 18 and 19 of different configuration. The circular portion 18is adapted to receive a circular mast section 12 as shown in FIGURE 4and the elliptical portion 19 is adapted to receive an elliptical mastportion 512 as shown in FIGURE 5. The mastwell 14 shown in the verticalcrosssection of FIGURE 3 is in turn adapted to fit within a deckwell 10forming a portion of the hull 22 of a ship 20.

The hull 22 may be constructed of fiber glass, plastic, wood, etc. andthe well 14 may be of the same materials, however, is preferably made ofa more rigid construction such as metal. The mast is generallyconstructed of wood or plastic and in some instances of a light metalsuch as aluminum.

The mastwell 14 is inserted Within deckwell 10 as in FIGURE 3. Well 14is adapted to receive two distinctly different masts 412 and 512, i.e.,one of a circular configuration and one of an elliptical configuration.The mast 412 of circular configuration is shown in a cross-sectionalview of FIGURE 4 and the mast 512 elliptical configuration is shown in across-sectional view in FIGURE 5.

The invention has been described with respect to two distinctlydifferent mast members 412 and 512 fitting within a single mastwell 14.However, other configurations of mast 12 are equally operable in thepresent invention. The invention is directed to the use of a pluralityof different cross-sectional configuration mast members adapted to fitwithin a single mastwell that can retain and hold the different mastmembers.

It will be understood that the present invention has been described inconnection with certain specific embodiments thereof which are for thepurposes of illustrating and not limiting the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A mastwell adapted to be received within a deckwell of a sailingvessel and receive any one of a plurality of mast members, said wellcomprised of a flange member connected to a tubular member, said tubularmember having at least -two superposed cross-sectional configurationsand adapted to receive mast members of substantially correspondingcross-sectional configurations.

2. The mastwell of claim 1 wherein configuration of the tubular memberof the mast member adapted to fit therein is circular.

3. A mastwell of claim 1 wherein the configuration of the tubular memberof the mast member adapted to fit therein is elliptical.

4. A mastwell of claim 1 wherein the flange member of the mastwell ishorizontally flush with the deck of a said sailing vessel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,381,647 5/1968 Keeler 114-39XTRYGVE M. BLIX, Primary Examiner

